Concord
by Cloudlight7
Summary: Cloud, immortal and tired, is offered a chance to finally find some peace... if they can get through the war, first.
1. Prelude

_All right, I've got the next chapter of _Providence_ about halfway finished, but… well, I don't feel happy with it. Anyone want to beta that one?_

_That aside, I've had the _weirdest_ desire to write this for _days._ Probably because I just watched a LOTR marathon with some friends, and I'm still on a major FFVII kick. Figured I might as well post, since it's getting written anyway._

_Prelude:_

Cloud stumbled slightly, more in surprise than anything else, as he was yanked from the familiar surroundings of green hills to the blank white of the in-between place that Aerith and Zack occasionally tugged him to.

Neither of them had done it for over a century, though, and that they were now was… worrying. It tended to be an emergency-use-only tactic.

"Cloud."

Aerith this time, then. Zack tended to come when Cloud needed him, as opposed to the Planet needing Cloud.

"You're… not happy."

No, Cloud supposed he wasn't. He hadn't been _happy_ in a long time, but he'd been edging closer to depression since… the last great threat to the Planet had killed Vincent. The utter destruction of Vincent's body did what nothing else had, freeing Chaos and killing Vincent and his other beasts.

Nanaki was old, now, long since taken over as Cosmo Canyon's elder, and less than half a century from the end of his expected lifespan.

"Spike."

_Zack too?_ Cloud wondered.

"We might have a way for you… to finally get some peace. Or at least a place where the people don't die of old age, where you could have friends that will live as long as you, barring injury."

"What about…" because Cloud was, first and foremost, a WEAPON of Gaia.

"Chaos will protect the planet, especially now that… he's not confined to a mortal's body."

Cloud nodded slightly, wondering what the catch was.

"You can keep most of your weapons," Aerith assured. "Just not Master Summon materia. The Valar—the guardians of the world we would send you to—will only allow one summon to cross to their world."

"I was thinking Phoenix," Zack piped in. "That way you can link it with that Final Attack you never use, just in case."

Cloud considered.

"And we may have gotten permission to send that chocobo you like so much with you…"

Cloud blinked. He had actually been out with his gold—Aurin—when he'd been yanked into the in-between.

"And _maybe_ we modified him just a little."

Cloud frowned.

"Yeah, you know… tied his life to yours. And made him kinda… indestructible, and a little stronger so he can carry you _and_ your Fusion Blade. And smarter, so he can carry out more complex commands."

Before he could even think of asking why, Zack continued.

"I mean, we already did that, so even if you'd rather stay on Gaia, he's yours for life, now. You need a companion, even if it is just a super-smart gold chocobo."

Cloud closed his eyes, grateful, but something else had caught his attention. "There are other immortals where you would send me?"

"Yes," Aerith's gentle voice again, "They are… well, they're called the Eldar—or Elves. They can be killed, much more easily than you. But… they won't die of age, so you wouldn't have to watch them age and die like… like everyone in this world."

"Their world is currently in danger," she continued, "but the Valar are certain they can handle it on their own. You wouldn't need to get involved."

Cloud huffed, shaking his head, a slight quirk of his lips saying what he thought of _that._

"You wouldn't!" Zack again, protestingly. "You can if you want to, but you don't _have_ to."

Cloud paused, another question flitting across his mind.

"And… we'll always be there for you, if you really need us."

He closed his eyes again, dipping his head in acquiescence.

A warm sensation, like a familiar hug, and the white faded away, leaving him and his chocobo somewhere very different than they'd been moments before.

_xxxx_


	2. Chapter 1

_Something of a filler, but it does have a point. A little abrupt, perhaps, but there're reasons for that, too, so please bear with me._

_**Chapter 1**_

"_The world you are now on is called Arda. Ask for Rivendell,"_ was Aerith's parting advice as Cloud stumbled slightly on the suddenly no-longer-flat terrain.

Aurin warked, startled by the sudden change in surroundings, and Cloud patted the gold's neck soothingly before cautiously swinging up into the light saddle with his there-upon-shift fully assembled weapon on his back.

There was a mako-glow to Aurin's blue eyes as the gold twisted his head to look at his rider and he bore the additional weight easily. Cloud nodded once, grateful that Gaia had seen fit to enhance his mount.

He was also grateful that he had his weapons. Well, most of them. Although he was capable of taking out the average summon easily, so he hardly needed Master Summon, though Phoenix… yeah, he could see why Zack had wanted him to keep that one.

He absently pulled out the old bangle from his pocket, slipping it onto his arm and linking his former Master Summon—which felt like it had simply _become_ a mastered Phoenix summon—and his rarely-equipped Final Attack.

It was, after all, rather difficult to cause him enough damage to knock him out, let alone kill him. Final Attack would trigger Phoenix upon either eventuality, which would protect any allies he made in this world.

Another soft 'wark' from Aurin, hours later, and the chocobo paused to catch Cloud's attention. He looked to where the (now enhanced) gold was staring.

Four—not children, they were not proportioned like children—'small people' were trailing after a taller man and one of the little ones was leading… what _was_ that?

It was shaped kind of like Odin's 'horse', but smaller and stockier, a quadrupedal mammal of some sort.

A gentle nudge sent Aurin into a light run, moving easily up the side of the mountain towards the small group.

The one in the lead saw him coming and moved to place himself between the four suddenly-nervous little ones and the oncoming chocobo and rider, hand on the hilt of a short-sword at his side.

A slight shift of his weight had Cloud's gold slowing to a halt, and Cloud dismounted, walking towards the group with hands held where they could see them, Aurin trailing along behind.

"Who are you?" the demand was edgy, and Cloud could guess why. If no one here was enhanced, a blade like his would seem impossibly heavy, and it was possible they'd never seen a chocobo by the way the four smaller ones were staring at Aurin.

"My name is Cloud Strife," he stated, stopping about ten feet away from the people. "I am from a place very far away, and I do not know where I am. Could you direct me towards Rivendell? I need to speak with someone there."

"We're going to Rivendell!" one of the smaller people blurted.

A warning glance said that the man with the sword was not pleased by the outburst.

Cloud hesitated, then sighed, "If you do not wish me to travel with you, I will understand. I am not… always the best travel companion." No, he tended to be quiet and reserved, moreso now that he had been alone for so long. And he could see he was making the more paranoid small one and the man who had been leading nervous.

The man seemed to come to a decision, "You may come with us, if you promise neither you nor your… whatever that is… will bring any harm to the Hobbits."

Cloud frowned, half-offended, half-concerned. Why the man felt the need to extract such a promise he didn't know. "I will bring no harm to them. Aurin," he directed over his shoulder. "Be nice to the little ones."

A 'wark' told him the command had been accepted.

The man nodded once, releasing the hilt of his sword and stepping forward. "I am called Strider. These are Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo," he gestured to each in turn.

Sam puffed up in mock indignation, "Hey, now, don't you forget Bill!"

Strider's lips twitched, "And Bill, the pony. We must keep moving. There is little time."

Cloud nodded and silently fell into step beside Strider as he turned away, understanding that the man would want to keep a close eye on him, at least for a while.

"Why are your eyes glowing?" Merry asked curiously.

Cloud blinked, considering how best to answer. It was clear from their dress that this place was technologically far behind Gaia, and he didn't want to go into what had been done to him.

"I am a WEAPON," he decided on eventually.

"Does that mean your bird is a weapon, too?" Pippin this time, eying Aurin's faint glow.

"No," Cloud patted Aurin's neck as the chocobo moved closer. "Aurin was enhanced to be my companion. A normal chocobo, even a normal gold, cannot carry me while I hold First Tsurugi. It is simply too much weight."

"You… what does it mean, you are a weapon? Are you not a man?" Strider asked, eying him cautiously.

Cloud's lips quirked in a smile that was halfway between bitter and wry. "Not anymore. I defeated ULTIMATE WEAPON, and it was my… geas, to take its place."

"I do not understand."

"Perhaps one day, you will." Although Cloud rather hoped not. If anything here was capable of forcing him to go all-out, that could be serious trouble. At least he didn't need to worry about little things like getting out of shape—or even out of _practice_. Gaia had made sure of that. His skills would not diminish from disuse, though they could still grow from a challenge.

After all, what good was a WEAPON that would rust?

_xxxx_

"You're really quiet, Mr. Cloud," Pippin observed after hours of silence from the blond.

Cloud glanced down at the little one who had seen fit to come up beside him, "I am… unaccustomed to traveling with people. And just Cloud is fine."

"Why don't you travel with people? Are you a Ranger like Strider?" it was innocent curiosity in the Hobbit's voice.

Cloud shook his head, fighting briefly with memory. "I have long outlived my friends," all save Nanaki, whom he would not see again. "Where I am from… I was the only immortal left."

Strider paused in his walk, turning a surprised glance on the quiet blond. "You are immortal?"

Cloud nodded once, reaching up to check Ribbon habitually, "The last of my homeland."

Strider's harsh glare kept the two most curious of the Hobbits briefly at bay. "I am sorry."

Cloud glanced over, then inclined his head at the sincerity in the other's eyes. "Thank you. It has been… over a century, now."

"Alone?" Pippin crept closer again.

Cloud nodded once, "Save for Aurin, yes."

Hearing his name, the gold stepped over to rub his head on his master's shoulder, warking softly.

Cloud's lips twitched slightly as he scratched the chocobo's crest. "I'm all right, Aurin."

"Alone for so long," Strider mused aloud, "It sounds… terribly lonely."

"That is why I was sent here. The guardians of my homeland—not unlike the Valar of this world, from what little I understand of Arda—offered me a chance to find my own peace."

Cloud paused, considering what he had said. It was the most forthcoming he'd been in… oh, centuries. But he needed them to trust him. And lying was not a terribly good way to earn that. And really, what could they do? They were no threat.

Not to him.

_xxxx_


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2 is up! Providence is almost ready fro posting, too._

_**Chapter 2**_

Several days of easy travel later, Cloud took in the small ruin with a sense of almost-amusement. Strider had claimed the hill called Weathertop, and the ruin they were holing up in for the night an old watchtower.

Really, though, the scattered stones and crumbled walls were nothing compared to the massive towers of twisted metal and shattered glass he was used to. The ruins of Midgar still remained, partly grown-over as the recovering Planet reclaimed the area that no humans kept cleared.

Edge flourished, and the new forms of energy harnessed did no harm to Gaia. Had they, Cloud would have been forced to… intervene. As a WEAPON of Gaia, he bent to her will, though—unlike the other WEAPONs—he could resist if he truly wanted to.

Now though… without a purpose in this new-to-him world…

He shook off the thoughts and refocused on Strider.

"I am going to scout the area. I will return within the hour."

Cloud nodded once.

Strider nodded back and left.

Cloud glanced around at the Hobbits making camp and settled himself out of the way, setting First Tsurugi against a pile of stone before sitting and leaning back against the stones himself. Aurin warked softly as he settled next to his master, putting his head in Cloud's lap for scratches.

Cloud chuckled softly and obliged. It had become something of a nightly ritual for the two, Aurin sitting next to Cloud and begging for attention and Cloud scratching along his crest.

The Hobbits found it endearing, but were still a little nervous around the usually-silent blond.

Cloud leaned his head back against stone, one hand's fingers still tangled in Aurin's crest-feathers, and dozed.

_xxxx_

Shrieks and startled warking had Cloud on his feet and reaching for his combined weapon before any of the others had a chance to move, Aurin scrambling up beside him. "Aurin! Get the little ones behind me!"

Warking, the bird herded four Hobbits towards the center of the ruins while Cloud strode towards the place where he could hear the monsters coming up the hill. Those shrieks had been painful, but they were silent, now, ghosting up the path almost without sound.

Mako-sight picked out five, and Cloud detached Sidewinder from the main blade for a off-hand weapon.

The first to crest the hill and step forward got batted aside by the Cloud's main blade and he was caught off-guard by the shocking chill that jarred up his arm.

In the seconds it took the mako in his blood to counter whatever had just happened, two slipped by him and went for the Hobbits.

Aurin made a valiant attempt at defending them, but the bird was modified for invulnerability, not fighting skill. He was pinned to the ground with a blade through his neck, warking and fighting but unable to get the leverage to free himself.

The other two converged on Cloud, and—thinking of the chill—Cloud snapped off a Fire3.

Twin screams told him that had been a great idea—except the piercing sounds so close had his enhanced hearing ringing so badly he staggered as he turned, moving to defend the Hobbits even as one of them stabbed down at an oddly washed-out Frodo.

First Tsurugi—whole again—bisected that one as the weapon made contact with Frodo's shoulder and another Fire3 had the fifth fleeing screaming as Frodo cried out in pain.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried, hearing his friend but apparently unable to see him as he turned in circles, "Mr. Frodo! Where are you?"

Two swift steps and Cloud was kneeling at the downed Hobbit's side, glancing at the blade dropped from a dissolving hand and cursing softly as he saw the broken end to the strange metal.

And that ring—it _glowed_ to his sight, the same malevolent glow as JENOVA-tainted mako. He reached out and plucked it from Frodo's finger, sensing that it was doing him no good, and cast Esuna upon seeing all the signs of violent fever.

Frodo's shivering eased and his searching eyes fell on the ring in Cloud's hand. The Hobbit held out a slightly shaking hand, and Cloud shook his head, "You'll drop it. Here," he tucked it in the breast-pocket of the Hobbit's coat himself, buttoning the lapel closed. He knew that things like invisibility-causing rings were valuable, and had no intention of keeping that one. It made his skin crawl.

And running footsteps had Cloud on his feet again, combined blade in hand.

"Strider," he acknowledged as the Ranger came up, re-holstering First Tsurugi across his back. He gestured to the broken—and dissipating—black blade. "One of those _things_ stabbed Frodo with that. Esuna helped, but it looks like part of the blade is still in the wound and I can't use Cure until it's removed. Is there anything you can do for him while I see to Aurin?"

The bird was lying limp, now, half-lidded eyes showing that he'd given up on getting out of his predicament himself and was waiting for help. He didn't seem to be in any pain.

A curse, "A Morgul blade! I need _athelas._"

"_Athelas?_" Sam asked.

Strider cast about for a moment, "Kingsfoil, it is also called."

Sam nodded, "I know that one! It's a weed!"

"It will help to slow the poison, but he needs Elvish medicine."

Cloud put the conversation out of his mind as he strode over to Aurin and yanked the icy-cold sword upwards, freeing the chocobo.

No mark was on Aurin's neck by the time he scrambled to his feet, shaking himself before checking his master over thoroughly.

Cloud patted Aurin's head and returned his attention to the waiting Hobbits, noting Strider was already some distance away, searching for the plant he needed, but Frodo was growing visibly worse with each breath.

Cloud stepped forward, casting another Esuna, and was relieved when the spell eased the Hobbit's pain once again. He moved to kneel next to the still form, gentle fingertips prodding at the injury.

No, there was definitely part of that poisoned blade caught in the wound. He didn't dare Cure, not until that piece was removed—and he hardly had the tools to make sure it was _all_ taken out. They needed to get him to a healer.

And, from the immediate return of symptoms, they needed to do so quickly.

Unless…

Cloud cast another Esuna, then Stop, hoping that the temporal stasis would keep the Hobbit from growing worse. He scooped up the suddenly completely still body, cradling him gently in both arms despite surprised protests.

"Aurin!"

The chocobo was by his side in an instant as a frustrated and empty-handed Strider returned, "I could not find—what are you doing?"

"He needs a proper healer," Cloud stated, shifting his grip on Frodo as he mounted the gold in a light jump. "I can hold the poison at bay myself, but only for so long. Which way to Rivendell?"

"You will need to go around the mountain—"

"Which way?" Cloud demanded, "Straight line. Mountains are not a problem."

Aurin warked agreement and Strider hesitated a moment more, before bowing his head in defeat. "You are his only hope, then. That way."

Aurin turned and took off at a pace a normal gold could not hold for longer than an hour, but Cloud suspected his enhanced mount would be able to hold it for far longer, perhaps even the two days that Cloud could manage all-out if he needed to.

In hours, Aurin was bounding up the mountainside, leaping small cliffs without difficulty, and Cloud had rarely been as grateful for the gold chocobo's abilities.

He really didn't know how long it was safe to hold a Hobbit under Stop.

_xxxx_

They crested the mountain, and Cloud's sharp vision caught the glitter of a river winding along the base, wider further upstream—probably an easy fjord. However, a gold chocobo—capable of crossing _oceans_—hardly needed to follow the river to such shallows. Instead, he scanned the immediate base of the mountain for—there. A city, unlike any he had seen. White stone that almost seemed to grow from the ground, mason-work that was clearly… inhuman.

That, he supposed, was Rivendell. City of the Elves.

Regardless, it was _a_ city, and he could treat the Hobbit himself provided he could get a hold of proper tools, though he'd really rather have a competent healer look at Frodo.

Aurin bounded down the mountainside towards the city gate—a _little_ out of the way, but best to be polite. Once he hit the valley flats, Aurin leveled out into a light jog, sensing his master did not want to startle the gate-guards.

"Halt!" one of the guards called, stepping forward with a drawn bow.

_Bow?_ These people were further behind Gaia than Cloud had thought. He disregarded the blatant threat, doubting that an arrow would be able to do him any serious harm. After Gaia's modifications, it would take Death Penalty or Cerberus to cause him serious projectile-damage. He doubted an arrow would do much more than scratch him, even if he couldn't dodge.

And, though it would probably pass through Aurin's skin fairly easily, the invulnerable chocobo wasn't in any real danger. No—the only danger was to Frodo.

Cloud considered that thought and silently signaled his chocobo to stop, dismounting in a fluid movement. "I need a healer. The little one is wounded."

That was apparently the right thing to say, given the situation. All questions were visibly put aside and the bow instantly lowered, "Lindir! Take them to the Halls of Healing. I will fetch Lord Elrond."

_xxxx_


End file.
